The following excerpt from this introduction dwells on Rasa-Leela and 3 Adhyatmika interpretations are given.
I insistently recommend to tackle this article with thorough appoach, because it eliminates too infantile judgments about Rasa-Leela.
GOPIKRISHNA EPISODE: ITS INTERPRETATIONS.
The following matter under three headings has been taken from the Introduction of Sri Bhagavata translation by Swami Tapasyananda (Vol.III, Skandha I). I gratefully acknowledge the valuable help obtained.
Critics have not been wanting who have cavelled at the moral stature of Krishna for his questionable relationship with the Gopis and the propriety of a devotional text like the Bhagavata including in itself such highly erotic episodes and their graphic descriptions.
So various attempts have been made to get over these difficulties by several theories, some of the most important of which are as follows:
1. The whole episode of Krishna and Gopikas is symbolical and not factual.
The Gopikas stand for the soul (Jivatman) and Krishna for the Supreme Soul (Paramatman) and
the intense aspiration of the former for the latter is depicted through sexual love.
The Jiva in this philosophy is taken as the Prakriti of the Lord and therefore depicted as female.
In this theory historicity of the events described is either denied or overlooked, and only a symbolic meaning is attached to the events.
2. The Bhagavata states that Krishna was only a boy of ten or eleven at that time.
So the highly erotic descriptions of the relationship between Him and Gopikas, who are depicted as ladies of mature years, are only poetic exaggerations of some innocent pastoral sports of Krishna with boys and girls of the cowherd community, among whom he spent his boyhood days.
The eroticism superimposed on these should be taken only as an aberration of decadent sectaries.
Here historicity is accepted in a modified form and the existence of any ethical problem is denied.
3. According to the third theory, while historicity is accepted, it is maintained that the Gopikas were devoid of bodily consciousness and they met Krishna at a spiritual level.
Therefore there is nothing carnal about it, as the descriptions are of purely mystical significance.
In support of this reference is made to the Bhagavata verse (Note by Vishnudut1926: nāsūyan khalu Kṛṣṇāya - This is Verse 10.33.37 in other editions of "Shreemad Bhagavatam")
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| "Shreemad Bhagavatam", 10.33.38 |
This mystic element is also hinted at in the very beginning of the description of Rasalila in the statement that Krishna took part in it assuming his Yogamaya or Mystic power.
BHAGAVATA INTERPRETATION OF THE LOVE OF THE GOPIKAS.
Now what does the Bhagavata itself say on the point ? While it is true that the Bhagavata text holds forth hints, justifying all the three explanations given above, the overwhelming evidence of language and description of the text declares inequivocally that the Gopika episode was a physical fact and that all aspects of love were involved in the relationship.
Raneh Parikshit to whom the Bhagavata was narrated, takes it in that sense and questions Sri Suka whether there was any ethical propriety, at all in it.
In his famous reply to this Sri Suka does not explain away the facts but expounds their significance as follows:
"Divine personages are found to override the rules of Dharma (ethics) and do actions apparently for a shocking nature. But just as no impurity affects fire, which consumes every thing, nothing causes blemish to such persons of immense potency.
But lesser men should not imitate them in these respects even in mind. If they do so foolishly they will perish, as one will do if one drinks poison following the example of Rudra. The instructions of Godly persons are valid; so are some of their actions too.
A wise man will follow only such of their actions as are consistent with their words. It is admitted that for enlightened men without an ego - sense, there is no selfish gain to be attained by any actions and no evil to be warded off by abstinence from them what good or evil can then affect the Supreme Lord Krishna who is the Master of all beings - Devas, men, animals and the rest?
By devotion to His holy feet the great sages derive that Yogic power by which they become free from the bondage of all action.
How can there be any bondage or sin for the Universal Being, who has assumed a body out of his own will, and by devotion to whom even these great sages derive their spiritual excellence.
He who permeates all beings, including the Gopikas and their husbands and directs minds and senses of everyone even He out of sportive intention has assumed a body as Krishna.
For bestowing His blessings on all beings he has assumed a body and he sports with that body in ways that will interest and attract men to Him.
By Krishna's mystic power the inhabitants of Vraja found their woman in their homes all the time and had no occasion to be displeased with Krishna". ("Shreemad Bhagavatam", 10-33-30 to 38)
From this it is clear that just as Krishna faced Kamsa and Sisupala (examples of communion through confrontation) with weapons in hand and raised them to the height of spiritual glory by delivering deadly blows on them.
He received the Gopikas who came to him with passionate love stimulated by his exquisite physical charm and the ravishing strains of His flute (Venugana) as an earthly lover receives his beloved, although mentally He was unperturbed and ever-poised in His spiritual Essence.
But what starts as a physical passion in the Gopikas gets transformed into a pure spiritual experience in the course of their association with Krishna.
By the touch of Krishna, who in the words of Gita is 'Brahman Supreme, the most exalted state of existence and the seat of all purity and holiness', the Kamukis (lustful females) and the Abhisarikas (the passionate women going in search of their lovers) became converted into Premikas (persons endowed with rapturous loving devotion) transcending body-consciousness like the Paramahamsas.
If we remember the aspect of Gopi Krishna episode we shall find that Krishna needs no defence and we need not be apologetic about Him by taking refuge in allegorical interpretations.
The allegory and symbolism are there and are very important too, but we should not use them to over look or cover up the Bhagavata doctrine that when the mind is firmly fixed on Him, what ever might be the motivating feeling or circumstance.
He responds to the Jiva in a manner appropriate to the Jiva's attitude and transforms him by His touch.
As stated in the Bhagavata; "The Yogis concentrating their mind on Him as the indwelling self the philosophers who try to see Him as pervading every thing, the Asuras who live in mortal dread of, and in confrontation with Him, and the passionate women who seek physical union with Him in violation of all social and ethical sanctions - they are all alike to Him ("Shreemad Bhagavatam", 10.87.23).
The fact that the minds of all these are directed to Him with intensity is sufficient reason for their transformation when they receive His response in the manner appropriate to their respective attitudes.
In a study of Krishna's life we should not forget that the Bhagavata looks upon Him not as an oridnary man but as "Bhagavan svayam".
Supreme Being Himself manifests as man, to reveal how He becomes the many but continues to be the one Uncorrupted and Perfect Being inspite of His transformation into the many through His Sakti.
To attribute corruption to Krishna for any of His actions is therefore as proper or as absurd as attributing corruption to God for manifesting the enigmatic world.
All His actions were without any self-centred purpose and were only the expression of the Lord's redeeming love for the Jivas.
Being the one existence that has become the many, He is Supra-moral and human standards have no relevance in His case.
WHY THE MEDIUM OF EROTIC POETRY IS USED?
Regarding the other allied question about the propriety of these erotic descriptions in a devotional scripture, the Bhagavata has got its own answer.
The Lord incarnated as Krishna not merely for scholars, philosophers, ascetics, puritans and moralists, but for the good of all who could develop faith in Him irrespective of their spiritual, cultural and moral attainments.
A philosopher will be interested only in abstract thought and not in heroic exploits and adventurous stories, on the other hand, a boy or a person without education will only be bored by philosophy, but thrilled by a narration of such exploits and adventures.
A diplomat or a politician will not however, be moved by these, he will probably be interested in accounts of state craft and human relationship.
An artist or a connoisseur of beauty will have a dread of philosophy and ethics but will be attracted by highly artistic descriptions of romantic love and beauty in all its aspects.
The life and teachings of Krishna, the Purnavatara, is meant to attract men of all these types.
So in a life abounding in dealings with persons of. varied temperaments - philosophers, devotees, ascetics common folk, cowherds, lovelorn women, cruel monsters, oppresive kings, righteous rulers diplomats etc. - Krishna has left for mankind a rich and varied record of events which have been taken up and glorified by the Puranas for edifying and attracting even the so called sense-bound humanity to the devotional cult founded by Him.
In later times a great devotee-poet of India, Jayadeva, has probably for this very reason taken up the love relationship of Krishna with the Gopikas as the theme for his famous 'Gita-Govinda", a poetical work of rare literary and musical excellence, noted as much for its devotional significance as for its high eroticism, observing all the rules of Sanskrit poetics.
No one can gainsay the fact that this work has exercised a great influence on the devotional and artistic life of India and drawn to Krishna large number of people who would not have otherwise been attracted to God at all.
So in justification of its description of these amorous accounts, the Bhagavata itself says - "Having assumed a human body for the blessings of mankind, He adopted such sportive activities as will interest and attract men of various types to Him.... He who with faith in Krishna in his heart hears reads and narrate these amorous dalliances of His with the Gopis, that intelligent man will obtain deep devotion to the Lord and will easily overcome lust, the real 'heart - disease' of mankind" ("Shreemad Bhagavatam", 10-33-37 to 40).
The idea is that the mind of an aspirant with faith in Krishna will gradually be filled with the symbolic and spiritual significance of these descriptions, that it is the passion of the purified soul of man for God that is represented in the Gopikas, longing for Krishna and that if we imitate that passion within ourselves we shall attain to the Divine.
To several of his puritanical disciples who expressed disapproval of the Gopikas, love for Krishna on moral grounds, Sri Ramakrishna, who never questioned the factuality of the Gopikrishna episode, never-the-less replied that if they did not like the Gopikas they might forget them but they must consider themselves blessed if they could manifest towards God a hundredth of that intensity of feeling that the Gopikas had towards Krishna, the Lord of all that exists.
The contention of the Bhagavata is that the Gopikas have dug this unique channel of devotion to God by their example, and that none can reach Him in that form of intimacy and intensity unless they sail their boat along the channel they have dug.
A careful reader of the Bhagavata will note that the text is careful to trace the growth of the love of the Gopikas for Krishna from a passionate personal love to love of Him as the Universal Being.
Unlike devotees in general, they did not, it is true, pass through the earlier stages of devotional discipline.
Being fortunate enough to be the contemporaries of Sri Krishna, the Lord Incarnate their purification was effected by direct contact with Him.
Sexual attachment is ordinarily a cause of spiritual down fall, but in the Gopikas such attachment, being directed to Sri Krishna, the Lord Incarnate had the opposite effect of purifying and uplifting them.
Reciprocating their love Krishna blessed them with His divine company, but they were soon separated from him when he left Gokula for Mathura from where he sent them the message, "Separation only strengthens love. Soon you will attain to the joy of Brahman which will make you experience separation and union as equally blissful" (Narayaneeyam).
When they met him again at Syamantapanchaka some years after they were found to have developed that depth of love through the tormenting yet delightful pangs of separation.
On that occasion Krishna gave them full enlightenment that enabled them realise His presence in everything and everywhere.
He conveyed to them the following as his last message. "Devotion to me is the only means for attaining to Bliss undecaying. It is fortunate that you have developed attachment to Me which is the means for attaining to Me.
Just as all material objects have their beginning and their end infilled by these elements, in the same way understand Me to be the basis of, and the Substance pervading all the worlds, living and non-living. Living beings only experience objects, but the latter do not rest in them (the living beings) but in the lements constituting them.
It is, however, in and through Me, the Supreme and imperishable Being, that both these - the experiencing Jivas and the experienced objects constituted of elements have their entity and subsistance". ("Shreemad Bhagavatam", 10.82.45-47).
It will also be seen from this kind of Bhakti is not Mudha, ignorant of Divine excellence; it may be so et the stert, but it brings full enlightenment too.
Enlightenment only leads to the enrichment and not to the elimination of devotion.
